You’ve heard about it, maybe you’ve tried it, but do you know why Pilates is so good for you?

Pilates has a heap of health benefits, and is a great indoor sport during cool weather.

Bondi Beauty spoke to Pilates Instructor Lisa Simpkinson from VillagePilates to get to the bottom of just why you should be doing Pilates.

1) Core Stability
‘Core would be number one,’ Lisa says, ‘Pilates is all about your core.’ Your core is a group of muscles that are used to stabilise yourself, rather than to perform any specific movement. Learning to use your core effectively to stabilise yourself while doing other exercises is a key component of Pilates.

2) Body Awareness
The next reason you should be checking out Pilates is body awareness. Awareness is all about ‘understanding how your body is moving and when all your muscles are switching on,’ Lisa explains, ‘learning why you would move in a particular way.’ Through greater body awareness you will find your ability to perform other types of exercise improving, and you’ll even notice differences in your day-to-day life.

3) Posture
How many of us spend our days hunched over at a desk? Many Pilates exercises focus on strengthening the muscles associated with bad posture, ensuring not only that you learn what correct posture is, but have the muscles to hold it. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you can sit up straight without back strain.

4) Flexibility and Mobility
Increasing your flexibility can help to prevent everyday injuries to your muscles and joints, especially as you get older. Even activities as seemingly simple as standing up, walking up and down stairs, and anything that involves lifting or reaching can cause aches and pains that could be alleviated though increased flexibility and mobility.

5) Positivity
‘Pilates is just a positive experience,’ Lisa finishes with. ‘You feel like your body is moving nicely and you come away feeling longer and leaner. It just feels good.’ All of these other benefits work to make you feel more confident in yourself, as well as the added bonus of the endorphins your body releases during exercise.

Ally enjoys long books and large coffees. She spends most of her time daydreaming about new places to travel instead of writing, and the rest of it daydreaming about all the things she’d like to write.